The class of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon has been known for some time. These polymers were produced by Nozaki, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,412, employing as catalyst arylphosphine complexes of palladium moieties and certain inert solvents. More recent methods for the production of such polymers, now known as polyketones or polyketone polymers, are illustrated by a number of published European Patent Applications including Nos. 121,965, 181,014, 213,671 and 257,663. These processes involve the use of catalyst compositions produced from a compound of palladium, nickel, or cobalt, an anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, arsenic, antimony or nitrogen.
The resulting polymers are relatively high molecular weight materials having established utility as premium thermoplastics. For example, the polyketone polymers are processed by techniques conventional for thermoplastics into a variety of shaped articles including containers for food and drink. Although the polymers have many attractive properties such as yield stress, tensile strength, impact strength and flex modulus, the processing of the polymers is often more difficult than desired, particularly if the polyketone polymer has a relatively high molecular weight, as reflected in a relatively high limiting viscosity number, LVN, as measured in m-cresol at 60.degree. C. Yet, the polymers of relatively high LVN are more attractive as engineering thermoplastics.
In published European Patent Application 326,224 the use of fatty acid amides as lubricating additives for polyketone polymers is disclosed. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,570 the use of carboxylic acids having from 1 to 2 alkyl side chains as melt stabilizers for polyketone polymers is disclosed. In copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 674,991, filed Mar. 26, 1991, the use of certain polar materials of a wide variety of structures as lubricating additives for polyketone polymers is disclosed. It would be of advantage, however, to provide polyketone compositions containing polar additives of improved processing properties.